


All You Have To Do Is Focus

by indigowild



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Are we a team now?, F/M, Jack can actually be sensitive, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-05
Updated: 2015-05-05
Packaged: 2018-03-29 03:32:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3880636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indigowild/pseuds/indigowild
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sudden question and the ensuing response shows the changes that have occurred between and within each of the three.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All You Have To Do Is Focus

“Hey, Jack. I've been meaning to ask you. What was Fenhoff saying to me that night when he was trying to get me to shoot you?”

Jack closed his eyes momentarily, hoping neither Daniel nor Peggy would see his grimace in the smoky dimness of the bar. The question was unexpected, breaking through the usual banter of their weekly Thursday night drinks like a needle skidding off a record. 

**“The men that you work with, they see you as broken... half a man. And Agent Carter... I see how you look at her, but she will never value you for the man that you are. How can she? She feels only pity. But we can change all that if you just focus.”**  

_Bastard sure knew how to hit a guy in his weakest spot. Find your deepest insecurities, your darkest pain, and twist it until you were his puppet. Fenhoff would have destroyed Daniel, either through instruction or by letting him wake up and realize what he had done. And Carter would have been the one to find us both._  

He tossed back the rest of his scotch, let the ensuing shudder mask his revulsion. Head coming forward, his eyes focused on Daniel—just sitting there and waiting patiently for an answer. Jackstalled, shooting a glance at Peggy across the table.

Her eyes were wide open, boring into his with a fierceness that took his breath away. Jack could see the unspoken plea in the raising of her eyebrows and the tenseness of her posture. Peggy seemed to turn slightly towards Daniel, her hand moving as if to rest protectively on his. As her hand settled awkwardly on the table near his forearm instead, Jack saw something flicker through her eyes—fear.

_Christ, she knows! How the hell does she know?! I sure as hell didn’t tell anyone what he said._

Jack nodded at her almost imperceptibly, forcing a casual laugh from his dry throat. 

“Oh, you know, the usual bunch of male competition crap. He was going on about how you wanted to show us all that you were the best agent, get back at us for treating you like crap. He said you resented me being made Acting Chief. Told you that if you killed me, you could take over, finally get the recognition you deserved.”

Daniel snorted, and Peggy’s shoulders relaxed visibly. She threw Jack a quick smile as she released her breath. Her laugh as she allowed herself to pat Daniel’s arm was warm and light.

“Well, I for one am thankful he didn’t succeed. I do believe the boys in Washington, D.C. would have had something to say if we went through 2 bosses in less than a week. And after they arrested you, Daniel, who would they have been able to promote—Wallace? Your earplugs certainly saved us from more than one disaster,” Peggy teased.

As Daniel nudged Peggy with his shoulder in mock indignation, Jack waved to the barmaid and signaled for another round of drinks. One more scotch, and then he’d duck out of here and leave these two on their own. Turning back to the conversation, he joined them in debating who would be a worse boss—Wallace or Ramirez. While Daniel began detailing a pros and cons list for both men, Peggy suddenly caught Jack’s eye. Through the shadows he saw her lips move, forming a silent “thank you.” 

It felt...good.

 

 

 


End file.
